Adjustable pivot for door construction



Dec. 24, 1963 B. H. ABEDON ETAL 3,114,942

ADJUSTABLE PIVOT FOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 4, 1961 consuming, but was expensive as well.

United States Patent Otice 3,1 14,942 Patented Dec. 24, 1963 3,lll4,942 ADJUSTABLE Hij/T FR DQR CGNSTRUCTION Byronlll. Ahedon and Stephen lL. logorilich, Providence, Rl., assignors to Engineering Products Sr Specialties, luc., a. corporation of Rhode llsland Filed San. 4', 196i, Ser. No. 80,620 Claims. (Cl. 2lb- 16) rThe present invention relates to an adjustable pivot for a door construction. More particularly, the present invention relates to adjustable pivot for a door of the center hung type wherein the door is adapted to be vertically adjusted by an externally accessible adjusting means so that removal of the door for the adjustment thereof is avoided.

ln the construction ot entrance ways in commercial establishments, it has been the usual practice in recent years to form the door members of metal materials, such as aluminum, so that a maximum amount of glass may be utilized. The use of glass not only provides a more attractive and ornamental doorway construction, but, by the vary nature of the use thereof, affords greater visibility. Aluminum doors are usually mounted in the frames thereof by pivot constructions that are secured to upper and lower frames of the door for engagement with a corresponding pivot member secured in the threshold and top jamb of the door frame. Since the pivot members are located within the top and bottom rails of the door construction, it adjustment of the door is necessary, it has been the usual practice heretofore to remove the door from the frame in order to effect the required adjustment. Removal of the door from the trame thereof is a somewhat laborious task that requires special tooling and labor to effect. Thus, in the prior known door constructions tor use in commercial installations, a vertical adjustment of the door as required was not only time Since the pivot assemblies of the doors normally used in commercial installations are spaced from the heel side thereof, they are usually constructed independently of the door and mounted therein so as to be concealed from external view. present invention is peculiarly adaptable for use in the center hung type of door, that is, that type of door wherein the pivot assemblies are spaced from the heel edge thereof, and may be substituted for the pivot assemblies presently used in the door constructions. The present invention is so designed as to eliminate the need for removing the door Jfrom its pivoted position when it is necessary to effect a vertical adjustment. The adjustment in the present invention is carried out by the simple rotation of adjusting screw that may extend through the heel edge ot the door and is accessible externally of the adjusting mechanism so that the vertical adjustment of the door may be accomplished while the door is hung in the pivoted position thereof in the door frame.

lt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an adjustment for a door construction that is oper- ;ed while the door is located in the pivoted position thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable pivot for a door construction wherein an adjustment screw is accessible externally of the adjusting mechanism 1Sor adjusting the vertical position of the door construction while it is mounted in the pivoted position thereof.

Still another object is to provide an adjustable bottom pivot for center hung doors that enables the door to be raised or lowered by the simple rotation of an adjusting screw that is accessible externally of the adjusting mechanism.

Still another object is to provide an adjustable pivot for a door construction that is ada table for use in presently used door assemblies and is designed to be substituted for the bottom pivot assembly of the prior known door constructions.

Still another object is to provide a pivot assembly for use in a metal door construction wherein an adjusting device is adapted to exert an axial force on the pivot pin that forms a part of the pivot assembly, thereby causing the door to be adjusted accordingly.

Still another object is to provide an adjustable pivot for use in a metal door construction which includes a pivot pin that is adapted to be positioned on a bearing that is located in the threshold ot the door frame, the pivot pin being interconnected to an adjusting lever and being subjected to axial forces when the lever is pivotally moved by an adjusting screw, wherein vertical adjustment of the door construction is varied accordingly.

Still another object is to provide an adjustment pivot for center hung doors wherein pairs of doors are adapted to be adjusted for proper clearance and alignment.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by us for carrying out our invention:

FIG. l is a front elevational View of a door construction showing a pair of doors of the center hung type in which the pivot assembly embodied herein is adapted to .be employed;

FIG. 2 is a cutaway section of a portion of the bottom rail or one oiE the doors illustrated in FIG. l showing the yadjustable pivot `assembly mounted therein.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the adjustable pivot aS- sembly illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a 4sectional yiew taken along lines 4 4 in FIG. 3;

EEG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower corner of one of the doors illustrated in FIG. l showing the location :of the adjusting screw that extends through the heel side of the door and that is adapted to be rotated for effecting the adjustment of the pivot assembly; and

FIG 6 is a perspective view of the bearing that is located in the threshold of the door construction and into which the pivot pin of the pivot assembly extends when the pivot assembly is mounted in position within the `bottom rail of the door construction.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. l, a vdoor construction is generally indicated at l0 and includes a pair of doors l2 and 14 that preferably have metal, framing, such as aluminum. The door construction lt; includes side jambs le and i8, a top jamb .29, and a threshold 22. The operating mechanism for opening and closing the doors l2 and ftd is concealed within the top jamb Ztl as is well known in the art and forms no part of the present invention,

For purposes `of illustration, the pivot assembly embodied herein will be described in connection with the door l2, reference lbeing made to the lower portion of the door l2 and particularly to the pivot assembly thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower po-ition of the door 12 includes a bottom rail 24 that is hollow in construction and that is adapted to receive a pivot assembly generally indicated at 26. The pivot assembly includes a cast onepiece body member 28' that is defined by a base 30, a yoke portion 32, and a downwardly projecting cylindrical portion 3d. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the base 30 is formed with openings 36 through which bolts 33 extend for securing the pivot assembly 26 to the Iunderside of the bottom rail 2d. `Formed in the downwardly projecting cylindrical portion 34 is a central opening 4t) in which a pivot pin 42 is slidably received. Formed in the wall of the cylindrical portion 34 facing in the direction of the yoke portion 32 is a slot 44 which communicates with an opening 46 that extends laterally through the pivot pin 42.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 3 `and 4, the yoke portion 32 extends downwardly from the base 3) of the body iember 23 and is bifurcated to define ears 48 and 56. Pivotally secured to the ear 4S and 50 by a rivet 52 is a lever 54. The outer portion of the lever 54 is formed in a hook-shaped configuration indicated at S6, the rear surface thereof defining a camming surface SS, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described. As shown more clearly in FIG. 4, the hook-shaped portion 56 terminates in an outwardly extending projection 60 that extends through the slot 44 and into the opening 46 formed in the pivot pin 42. Extending through the yoke portion 32 adjacent the base 3@ is a threaded opening 62 in which an adjusting screw 64 is threadably positioned. The outer or exposed end of the adjusting screw 64 is formed with a socket portion 65 that is adapted to receive a suitable wrench therein such as an Allen type wrench. The inner edge of the adjusting screw 64 contacts the camming surface 56, while the outer edge thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 2, projects through an opening 66 that is formed in the heel edge 68 of the door frame `12 and is thereby accessible externally for effecting the vertical adjustment of the door '12 as will hereinafter be described.

In order to pivotally mount the bottom edge of the door 12, the pivot pin 42 extends into a bearing or bushing 70 that is located within the threshold 22. It is understood that the pivot for the top rail of the door 12 engages the closure operating mechanism, and as indicated, this construction forms no part of the present invention. However, it is further pointed out that it is within the scope of the present invention to utilize a pivot assembly in the top rail of the door 12 as described herein, the relative positioning of the pivot assembly embodied in the present invention being a matter of choice.

When it is necessary to remove the door 12, the pivot pin 42 must be completely retracted within the opening 40 of the cylindrical portion 34. In order to positively retract the pivot pin 42, a spring 72 is employed and is secured to the rivet S2, one leg of the spring engaging the outer edge of the yoke portion 32, while the other leg of the spring engages the hook portion 56 of the lever 54. The spring 72 thus tends to urge the lever 54 upwardly as seen in FIG. 2 and will retract the pin 42 when the weight of the door has been removed from the pin. This situation will occur when the door is adjusted l downwardly linto contact with the threshold 22. With the pin retracted, the door may then be removed from its pivoted position.

In use, the door 12 is pivotally mounted between the threshold 22 and the top jamb 2d by means of the pivot pin 42 and the top pivot assembly as described. Assuming that the vertical adjustment of the door 12 is required, the desired adjustment is produced by inserting a wrench into the socket portion 65 of the adjusting screw 64. Since the outer end of the adjusting screw 64 extends through the heel edge 68 of the door 12, the wrench may be easily inserted within the socket portion 65' when the door 12 is pivoted to the open position thereof, thereby exposing the heel edge thereof. Rotation of the wrench within the socket portion 65 produces a corresponding rotation of the adjusting screw 64, and presuming that the door is to be elevated, the adjusting screw 64 will be moved inwardly or to the right as will be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. Since the inner edge of the adjusting screw 64 engages the camming surface 5S of the lever 54, the lever 54 will pivot on the rivet 52 in a direction that causes the projection 60 to move downwardly toward the threshold 22. The pivotal movement of the lever 54 causes an axial force to be exerted on the pivot pin 42 due to `the interconnection of the lever and the pivot pin through the projection 6i) and the opening 46. Since the lower edge of the pivot pin 42 is positively engaged in the bushing 7i), downward movement thereof is prevented, and therefore the axial force exerted by the lever 54 on the pivot pin 42 will be reflected in a corresponding movement of the body member 28 with respect to the pivot pin 42. Thus, as the adjusting screw 64 1S moved to the right as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the downwardly directed axial force on the pivot pin 42 will cause the body member 28 to move upwardly, thereby carrying the door 12 therewith to the desired adjusted position. If the door 12 is to be adjusted in a downward direction, it is seen that this adjustment may be effected by ro tating the adjusting screw 64 to produce a movement to the left as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. The lever 54 will then follow the movement of the adjusting screw he cause of the force exerted thereon by the spring 72, and the body ymember 2S and the door to which it 1s secured will then move downwardly in response to the removal of the axial force exerted on the pivot pin 42. It 1S seen that the vertical adjustment of the door 12 may be easily accomplished by using only a simple wrench as a tool, and that since the adjusting member is screw threaded, an innite number of positions may be possible so that the exact vertical location of the door I2 may be obtained. It is understood that the door 14 may be adjusted in a similar manner as that described above in connection with the door 12. Thus, the doors 12 and 14 may be easily aligned by adjustment of the bottom pivot assemblies associated therewith.

While there is shown and described hereln' certaln specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manid fest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying xnventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar an indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In an adjustable pivot for a door of the center hung type, a body secured to the underside of said door and en; closed by the bottom rail thereof wherein said body normally hidden from View and inaccessible when said door is positioned between the top jamb and threshold of the frame on which said door is pivotally mounted, said body including a yoke portion formed on one end thereof and a cylindrical portion formed on the other end thereof through which an axial opening extends, a slot formed in the wall of said cylindrical portion and communicating with said opening, a pivot pin mounted id bearing relation in said opening and being adapted to project downwardly beyond the lower edge of said bottom rail for engagement with a bearing secured in the thresh old that is located below said door construction, said pivot pin having a lateral opening formed therein thatcommunicates with said slot and is accessible there through, a lever secured to said yoke for pivotal movement with respect thereto, said lever having a camming surJ face formed thereon and including an outwardly extending projection that projects through said slot for engagement in said lateral opening thereby interconnecting said pivot pin with said lever so that pivotal movement of said lever produces a relative movement `between said pivot pin and said body member, a spring engaging said lever for urging said lever in a direction away from said threshold, and an adjusting screw, one end of which extends through said yoke for engagement with the camming surface of said lever and the other end of which extends through an opening formed in the heel of said door, wherein said adjusting screw is accessible externally of said door construction, said adjusting screw being movable inwardly of said yoke portion into contact with said camming surface to cause a downward axial force toI be exerted on said pivot pin, wherebyrsaid door is movedt upwardly to that the vertical position thereof is adjusted with respect to said threshold.

2. -In a door construction, a frame including a -top jamb and a threshold, a door mounted for pivotal movement between said top jarnb and said threshold and including a bottom rail, a pivot assembly for adjusting the vertical position of said door with respect to said top jamb and said threshold, a body secured within said bottom rail of said door and hidden from external view therein, a lever mounted for pivotal movement on said body, a pivot pin interengaged with said lever and engaging a bearing secured in said threshold, spring means for pivotally urging said lever in a direction wherein said pivot pin is adapted to be retracted from engagement with said bearing when said door is to be removed from the pivotal position thereof, and an adjusting screw accessible externally of said bottom rail and engaging said lever, said adjusting screw being adjustable to pivot said lever so that an axial force is exerted on said pin in a direction toward said threshold, said body thereby being constrained to move relative to said pivot pin for adjusting the vertical position of said door with respect to said threshold.

3. In an assembly for pivotally mounting a door in a frame, wherein said door includes spaced horizontal rails, a body secured in one of said rails in said door adjacent an edge thereof and concealed from view, a pivot pin mounted in an opening in said body in bearing relation therewith .so as to provide for relative movement between said body and said pivot pin, said pivot pin engaging a xed bearing `in said frame thereby mounting the adjacent edge of said door in pivotal relation with respect to said frame, a lever pivotally secured to said body and engaging said pivot pin, said lever being wholly concealed Within said one rail and an adjusting element engaging said lever for pivoting said lever so that an axial force is exerted on said pivot pin, said body being constrained to move relative to said pivot pin and in a direction opposite to said axial force due to the engagement of said pivot pin rwith said bearing, whereby the position of said door with respect to the frame thereof is adjusted.

4. In an assembly as set forth in claim 3, said adjusting element extending through the heel edge of said one rail of said door and being accessible externally thereof so that said door may be adjusted vertically without removal thereof from its pivotal position in said frame.

5. In an assembly for pivotally mounting a door in a frame, a body secured in said door adjacent an outer edge thereof and hidden from external view, a pivot element extending through sm'd body in bearing relation so as to provide for relative movement therebetween, a bearing member fixed in said frame and receiving said pivot element in bearing engagement therewith, engaging means mounted for pivotal movement on said body and engaging said pivot element, means accessible exteriorly of said door for adjusting the pivotal position of said engaging means, thereby moving said body relative to said pivot element and adjusting said door a distance corresponding to the movement `of said body with respect to said pivot element, said engaging means including a camming surface that is engageable by said adjusting means, so that upon movement of said adjusting means inwardly 'with respect to said door, said engaging means is pivoted a corresponding amount to cause said body to move relatively to the pivot element to which said engaging means is engaged, said adjusting means including an adjusting screw that extends through an opening in the heel edge of said door and is lthreadably received by said body for adjustment therein, the inner end of said adjusting screw engaging said camming surface, and a spring secured to said lbody and engaging said engaging means, said spring acting to urge said engaging means in a direction for retraoting said pivot element when said door is to be removed from said frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,001,322 Tabor Aug. 22, 1911 2,717,413 Freschner Sept. 13, 1955 2,933,756 M-uessel Apr. 26, 1960 2,955,314 Tylman Oct. 11, 1960 3,048,899 Vincent Aug. 14, 1962 

3. IN AN ASSEMBLY FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING A DOOR IN A FRAME, WHEREIN SAID DOOR INCLUDES SPACED HORIZONTAL RAILS, A BODY SECURED IN ONE OF SAID RAILS IN SAID DOOR ADJACENT AN EDGE THEREOF AND CONCEALED FROM VIEW, A PIVOT PIN MOUNTED IN AN OPENING IN SAID BODY IN BEARING RELATION THEREWITH SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID BODY AND SAID PIVOT PIN, SAID PIVOT PIN ENGAGING A FIXED BEARING IN SAID FRAME THEREBY MOUNTING THE ADJACENT EDGE OF SAID DOOR IN PIVOTAL RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME, A LEVER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID BODY AND ENGAGING SAID PIVOT PIN, SAID LEVER BEING WHOLLY CONCEALED WITHIN SAID ONE RAIL AND AN ADJUSTING ELEMENT ENGAGING SAID LEVER FOR PIVOTING SAID LEVER SO THAT AN AXIAL FORCE IS EXERTED ON SAID PIVOT PIN, SAID BODY BEING CONSTRAINED TO MOVE RELATIVE TO SAID PIVOT PIN AND IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID AXIAL FORCE DUE TO THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID PIVOT PIN WITH SAID BEARING, WHEREBY THE POSITION OF SAID DOOR WITH RESPECT TO THE FRAME THEREOF IS ADJUSTED. 